The Stone Flower and the Friendship of Peoples fountains are being restored at VDNH

Complex restorations of the Friendship of Peoples and Stone Flower fountains have begun at VDNH. They have not been restored for more than 60 years. Specialists will restore the lining of the fountains' elements: their golden smalt and will also repair the engineering equipment by the opening of the fountain season in 2019.

14 fountains were restored in the Central Alley at VDNH in summer 2018, and the unique Golden Spike fountain was launched after more than 30 years of silence. And now that the fountain season has finished, the time has come for restoration of the main VDNH symbols: the Stone Flower and the Friendship of Peoples fountains. Previously, their repair was carried out in parts to prevent accidents or to maintain their appearance. For the past 64 years, there has been no comprehensive scientific restoration of these fountains. Part of the work on restoring the fountains' historical appearance will be done in restoration workshops.

Specialists will have to restore the granite lining of the bowl and the cascades of the Friendship of Peoples fountain, as well as restore the weight-bearing frame of 16 statues of girls: no restoration of these has ever been conducted. The gilded symbols of the USSR republics will be removed and sent to the workshops to restore their coating.

The works will be completed by the opening of the fountain season in 2019.

Specialists will also restore the mosaic finishing of the Stone Flower fountain. The necessary smalt is made in Moscow and St Petersburg using proprietary methods. Two types of mosaics are required for the lining of the elements: a multi-coloured marblite (opaque glass) one and a gold one from leaf-gold sheets of various shades sintered between plates of coloured glass. The bronze compositions with dishes that adorn the parapet of the Stone Flower fountain will be sent to workshops.

"One of the main tasks of the works on the VDNH territory is to carefully preserve the architectural uniqueness of the monuments located here and to reveal and restore what was forgotten or was considered lost,"

emphasised Alexey Emelyanov.

In the new season of 2019, visitors to the VDNH will see a unique fountain complex including the restored Stone Flower, Friendship of Peoples, 14 Fountains of the Central Alley and the Golden Spike.

VDNH's revival began in 2014. Ten cultural heritage sites have been restored since then: besides the fountains, there are eight historical pavilions in this list.